Day 6

Today I feel an achiness in my left foot and ankle, I feel this is probably still from swelling inside the spinal canal. If it continues I will mention it to the surgeon in my follow-up. I was very tired today and probably slept too well last night. By too well I mean that I wasn't waking up often enough to turn like I have been. I only woke up twice and both times felt very stiff and sore from keeping the same position too long. I forgot to mention in my Day 5 posting that I got to shower last night and it was awesome! I used a reacher to adjust the shower settings for me. I had a very hard time drying off especially, my hair. I am used to flipping my long hair over, towel drying it somewhat, and then twirling the towel around the hair as I flip it all back atop my head. Well...now I can't bend. Needless to say, I figured it out.

Day 5

Yesterday was so busy. I woke up early and actually left the house! I had someone drive me. I went to my weight watchers meeting and then went out to breakfast. I wasn't able to sit down for the whole meeting even though I was sitting on with pillows. I was able to eat a delightful breakfast even though peple stared at me shuffling in holding a pillow. When I returned I was exhausted and napped. I layed down most of the remainder of the day.

Day 4

Woke up really late mostly due to my bloated full body not letting me sleep very well. I had been awakened by my phone ringing. The hospital called to check on my status. I explained my situation (everything was okay except my extreme constipation). The nurse explained to me everything was normal and that the Milk of Magnesia should have solved it. She did not seem alarmed or concerned that today was my fourth day with no bowel movement (we get concerned at work after 3). She did not offer any suggestions or tell me to see a doctor if it persisted. I told her I was gonna try more medication today and she said "ok" then hung up. My grandma went to the store and bought some Magnesium Citrate. I had already taken another dose of the Colace and Dulcolax pills when she arrived. No matter what flavorings they add to this stuff it tastes gross I'm sure. I usually give it to my patients with the lemon-lime flavor and try to convince them it tastes like sprite (it's carbonated). Grandma got me cherry. It tastes worse than any cough syrup you've ever had. I held my nose and drank half the bottle as directed. I chased it with a full bottle of water. I went back to bed. I didn't have anything to eat all day. FINALLY!!! After about 3 hours I had alot of cramping and had a Bm (bowel movement)! I then went two more times in 10 minutes...a little excessive I know but I have had to go for so long and thrown so much arsonal in there it's bound to happen. I will probably have diarrhea for the rest of the day but I am so relived I don't care. I was able to finally eat and not feel sick. I was able to sit up for awhile without feeling like my seams were gonna burst. I haven't had alot of incisional pain just some discomfort so I've switched myself to extra strength tylenol instead of the percocet the prescribed. The percocet is very constipating. If I need something stronger that tylenol I can always take it. My follow-up appointment isn't until May 25 and I don't want to wait until then to discuss it.

Day 3

Posting day 3 a day late due to I was so uncomfortable that I couldn't sit at the computer at all yesterday. I was so constipated. Hey, I am being open here. They do warn you this could happen but this was rediculous. I don't think it had ever in my whole life been like this. I tried milk of magnesia to start...nothing. I tried Dulcolax (bisacodyl) tabs mixed with Colace (docusate sodium) gel caps....again nothing. Drank a ton of water. Walked as much as I could tolerate. Layed on my left side to promote movement...nada. Took another dose of the pills. To cut short a day of torture I couldn't really eat anything all day. I was so incredibly uncomfortable. I spent most of the day in bed and never had a bowel movement. I'm sure it didn't help in my healing process. I tried at the end of the day to eat a Whopper Jr. with fries in the hopes that some greasy food would motivate my body to expel but it just made me more uncomfortable and I slept horribly. I sweat all night, probably to release some sort of waste and woke up day 4 feeling sickly.

Day Two

So far I think I am making good progress. I have been able to toilet myself (as long as the toilet seat is up). I tried to sit in a big lazy boy type chair...bad idea. The chair was so big I had a hard time with retaining my balance. A hard wooden chair worked much better. It gave me the ability to put my feet under me or at my sides. I placed one pillow under me and one behind me. I slept less during the day today than yesterday. I was able to eat only toast for breakfast. I ate a regular lunch and dinner. The experts say that the more you walk the less scar tissue forms. I made several laps around the inside of the house at about ten minute intervals. While walking I have found it helpful to put my hands on my hips or abdomen for support. Getting in and out of bed is still tricky. I've come to approach the side of the bed and put one knee on at a time.I then walk on my knees. I then kinda free fall/lower myself with my arms down. I can then shimmy on my stomach slowly to wear I want to be then turn on my side...voila. I have found this is easier than sitting on the edge because it's hard to get your feet onto the bed alone. To get up I face the edge of the bed throw my legs over a little a sit up from my side. You then slowly inch until your feet are firmly on the ground, put the weight into your legs and knees, and stand. My grandma prepared all my meals and made my bed, etc. I would not be able to do this on my own. I still have alot of discomfort at the incision site. I feel very stiff. Have felt like belching all day but haven't been able to get it all out. No bowel activity, they say laxatives are usually necessary we'll see tomorrow. I still have to push my bladder to empty each time. Overall though I'm feeling pretty good.

First Night

During the night I figured out how to turn side to side on my own! I can't yet turn onto my back but if I move very slowly I can turn. I have to turnn onto my stomach and slowly keep repositioning my legs and upper body. At this point I am just very excited to be making any progress!

Day of Surgery

Yesterday I had surgery to my low back (aka lumbar). Specifically I had a hemilaminotomy, partial discectomy to my L5 and L4. Both L5 and L4 discs were badly herniated and pressing on my nerves in my spinal canal. Prior to surgery I had "thrown out" my back about a year ago. I went to my primary doctor who then sent me to a spinal specialist. The spinal specialist had me get xrays, and an MRI. I went to physical therapy for 2-3x/week for a few months. The specialist says my spine is aged more than she would expect in someone my age (27). Well since then I have had two cortisone spinal injections. My specialist sent me to a surgeon. And as you've read I got surgery.

On the day of surgery I had to be there at 8am with nothing to eat or drink after midnight. They finally wheeled me into the operating room a little after 10:30am. All I could smell all morning was a whopper. I don't know why. I haven't had a whopper in probably months. I think maybe because I knew I couldn't eat anything.

I don't remember much more until about 3pm. The way the anesthesia works your lucky that way I guess. Being a nurse myself I knew all the procedures and protocol they had done while I was asleep.

They had originally wanted me to stay the night and it had all been arranged prior to surgery. They said I did so well that ,as long as, I could with assistance get out of bed and walk a short distance I could go straight home that evening. So with the nurse I got up.

Getting up for the first time sucks. When I mean sucks, I mean it is probably the most pain you are gonna feel or that I have felt so far (within 2 days) in this recovery. I was a little wobbley walking but did okay with nurse and IV pole to help. I was able to pee but, I had to try 3 times while sitting on the toilet to empty my bladder. I was not able to pee with the same force as usual. I was lucky that the surgery was short enough I didn't get a catheter.

So since I met all the requirements, I was discharged. I had had my parents, my live-in boyfriend, and my grandma with me. My grandma who is a very energetic 84 has flown up from North Carolina to where I live in Cleveland to help me for two weeks. She is not in the slightest confused and smart as a whip. Unfortuately while waiting for the wheelchair transport she left to use the bathroom. AND GOT LOST! My boyfriend, the friendly transportation lady (pushing me in a wheelchair) and I searched all over the Cleveland Clinic looking for her. For twenty minutes we searched. We even had her overhead paged. I tried calling her cell phone several times but it was useless since she can never work the damn thing. Finally I recieved a call from a worker in the hospital who had my grandma about a half mile away. Geez, If any of you have been in or seen the Cleveland Clinic it is HUGE and very easy to get lost if you have never been there before. My boyfriend and I ended up getting the car out of the parking garage and driving to where she was.

The ride home was very uncomfortable and unpleasant. I made the decision to sit in the front seat for my 15-20 minute journey. The front seats of my car are made for back support and it felt kinda like a knife in my back. That hump in the seat was just sitting in the wrong place. In retrospect I should have rode in the back seat. The back seats are just flat. I had to recline the front seat a little and trying to pull myself up with the handle that hangs above the door.

It is very difficult to move around and manipulate your body. You can't move like you are used to doing. It's like being an infant or toddler all over again. You can't bend your back at all. It is similar I would imagine to being attached to a board and trying to get around. I needed someone to unlock and open the car door for me. I needed help to get out of the car. I have three steps on a stoop to get into the house and needed a hand to get in the house.

Now getting into bed is a task. It was way easier at the hospital because the height of the bed can be adjusted and they have SIDE RAILS on the bed. I don't know about you but my bed at home can't do these things. At first I had someone help me sit on the bed. Which does hurt no matter how soft the bed is. Then you can't really scoot back so your kinda stuck on the edge. You tip haphazardly towards the pillow while someone picks up your legs for you. It's very uncomfortable. For the first ten times or so I had someone help me turn side to side in bed. I was not able to turn on my own or lay on my back.

I thought I would be super hungry. I was just tired. I had eaten graham crackers at the hospital and drank water/gingerale prior to leaving. They needed to make sure I wouldn't throw up. When I got home though. I was just really dry. They say the anesthesia dries you out. It's true. All I felt like eating was a banana. Everyone else had chinese food. I drank alot of water. I slept and slept and slept. I got home around 6pm or 7. All I did was sleep a few hours, wake up, try to readjust and then go back to sleep. With very little assistance I was able to use the bathroom to pee.

It seems that a body pillow behind you really helps for support and readjusting. I am glad I had one.